Accountability never follows because world leaders don't care. Israel
has carte blanche to kill, injure, maim, destroy, torture, and terrorize
an entire population.

On November 15, Defense Minister Ehud Barak said Pillar of Cloud goals
are to "strengthen Israel's deterrence, cripple the rocket-firing capacity,
and strike a painful blow to Hamas and the terrorist organizations and
minimize harm to the home front."

He, Netanyahu, and other Israeli officials lie. Their strategy is state
terror. Their goal is unchallenged occupation harshness. Crimes of war
and against humanity are tactics to maintain and enforce it.

Justifiable resistance is called terrorism. Premeditated Israeli mass
murder and destruction are called self-defense. All rogue states operate
this way. Israel is one of the worst.

Local media offices were bombed. Seven journalists were injured. Beirut-based
Al Quds satellite channel journalist Khader Zahar lost a leg. Ma'an News
and German broadcaster ARD were struck. So were an Islamic Jihad radio
station and Hamas broadcast channel.

Israeli soldiers used rubber bullets and tear gas against nonviolent West
Bank protesters.

Air strikes on central Gaza kills infant. Bombing killed six other children
and five women.

On Friday, both leaders spoke. Netanyahu told Obama no ground operation
is planned at this time. However, things will change if Hamas escalates
rocket fire or causes significant casualties.

US ambassador Michael Oren said:

If Hamas "keep(s) shooting at 5.5 million Israelis at the current rate,
we will have no choice but to use all necessary and legitimate means to
defend our citizens and that includes possible ground action."

On Friday, Physicians for Human Rights-Israel (PHR-I) "began receiving
worrisome and severe reports regarding the obstruction of the activity
of emergency and rescue teams."

"Although there is no direct harm to the emergency services and centers,
the proximity to the bombings….causes great harm."

"Heavy shrapnels sharp edged fragments….hit the center. With no advanced
warnings, there is no possibility of evacuation prior to the bombing."

"The destruction of infrastructure….causes difficulties and delays reaching
the wounded. In some cases, the blocked roads….do not allow clear transfer
of ambulances."

Paramedics have to carry wounded victims and walk. Doing so endangers
their lives. Time is crucial. Severe wounds need immediate treatment.

Rescue teams are endangered. Bomb explode near them. Two paramedics were
wounded. Some emergency centers and clinics sustained heavy damage.

During Cast Lead, Israel targeted hospitals, ambulances, and medical workers.
Apparently it's happening again. World leaders give Israel carte blanche
to commit murder with impunity. As NATO members, they have plenty of blood
on their own hands.

An unnamed Egyptian official said a senior Israeli military figure is
in Cairo for truce talks. Hamas' Political Bureau Chairman Khaled Mashal
and Deputy Political Bureau head Mousa Abu Marzook are involved.

They want Israel's land and and sea blockade ended "as a precondition
for any truce." Short of it, ceasefire terms are meaningless.

Israel can halt current attacks and resume them anytime. Gazans suffer
horrendously under siege. It's lawless. Ending it is essential. Israel,
of course, won't agree. World leaders should demand it, but don't.

Hamas also wants "an internationally-backed guarantee against further
Israeli strikes…."

Israel guarantees nothing. It doesn't negotiate. It demands. Its pledges
aren't worth the paper they're written on. What follows remains to be
seen. Expect nothing positive for beleaguered Gazans.

Israel and Washington "insist that a ceasefire be signed (by America),
Egypt, Turkey and Israel, and exclude Hamas, which would be bound by a
separate agreement with Cairo."

Netanyahu officials want Washington "to act as guarantor for a ceasefire."
Erdogan invited Vladimir Putin to be party to what's ongoing.

Hamas "rejected all of Israel's terms." Like all Israeli deals, they're
one-sided and meaningless. Palestinians never had a legitimate peace partner.
Decades of futility prove why.

At the same time, Israel denied reports about its negotiator heading for
Cairo. A possible ground operation is delayed. Netanyahu promised Obama
he'll hold off unless Hamas escalates strikes or causes significant casualties.

On November 17, an Arab League statement was meaningless, toothless, and
embarrassing. It pledged support for Palestinians against "Israel's aggression,"
but offered nothing to stop it.

Turkish Prime Minister Erdogan wants "justice" in Gaza, but stopped short
of punitive measures to achieve it. At the same time, he's Washington's
lead attack dog against Syria.

Safe havens he provides Western-recruited death squads and weapons he
assures they're provided kill scores or hundreds of Syrians daily. Most
are civilians.

Talks with Israel achieve nothing. Punishing Netanyahu's government is
essential. Ambassadors should be recalled. Israeli envoys should be expelled.
Oil can be used punitively. All political and economic relations should
be suspended or terminated.

Israel only understands smack downs. Major ones are long overdue short
of violent confrontations. How much more Palestinian suffering is tolerable
before regional and other leaders say no more? The time for confronting
and stopping this beast is now.